Heart-Stopping: The Biggest Waves Ever Surfed in Nazaré, Portugal
November, 2011. Crowds have gathered on the cliffs, photo and video cameras out, as one of Nazaré’s monster waves approaches like a rumbling, intimidating, heart-stopping force of nature. Though the small fishing village in Portugal is a popular surfing destination in summer, in winter only the true daredevils remain. And indeed, on top of the giant wave, a seemingly tiny surfer appears. It is Garrett McNamara – the American big wave hero who would end up breaking the record of the largest wave ever surfed, here at Nazaré, Portugal.
The wave that Garrett McNamara rode in 2011 was later measured 78 feet from trough to crest, and in January 2013, McNamara returned to Nazaré’s Praia do Norte and broke his own record, riding a wave that was estimated to be a whopping 100 feet tall. In October of that same year, Brazilian surfer Carlos Burle rode a wave that appeared to be even bigger, and made himself a true hero amongst the global surfer community.
In 2014, Plymouth-born Andrew Cotton – who learned the boarding sport at the age of 7 on the UK’s North Devon Coast – followed, becoming known as one of the 4 riders of the biggest waves ever surfed around here. Needless to say, Nazaré has since made a name for itself as a legendary spot for extreme surfing.
A Unique Ocean Floor Topography
The reason why one can find such colossal waves here at this spot on the Atlantic coast on such a regular basis can be attributed to the unique undersea topography. Similar to Teahupoo in Tahiti, the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii, and Mavericks off northern California – all renowned names in the extreme water sports community – the ocean floor just off Nazaré features a massive underwater ravine.
The Nazaré Canyon, which forms a massive stretch running 125 miles from the abyssal plain of the Atlantic Ocean to less than half a mile from the coastline, is the largest underwater canyon in Europe. It is a jaw-dropping 16,000 feet deep, and its depth and positioning magnify the swells that approach Praia do Norte. This is why, on any given day, you can witness waves here that are 2, 3, or sometimes ever 4 times the size of those found on the rest of the coastline.
Difficult and Dangerous Swells for Only the Most Daring Surfers
One thing is for sure – surfing the big waves around here is not for the faint-hearted. Monster waves tend to move more quickly than others, forcing boarders to get away as quickly as possible from the powerful white water. It’s not hard to imagine, then, that this extreme sport is not about aesthetics – slick cutbacks, fabulous floaters and awe-inspiring aerial antics should be reserved for different occasions. It’s all about braving the heavy weather, harsh ocean conditions and deadly waves, whilst trying to avoid a wipeout, coral reef injuries, and even drowning…
If you want to follow in the footsteps of McNamara, Burle and Cotton, you might just give yourself a few years’ more practice – but the good news is that, if you’re into surfing, Let’s Go Insure has got you covered. With policies that allow you to go just that little bit further, deeper and higher, you can go all out on the swells without a worry on your mind. What’s up? Surf’s up!
